Multidrawer fire resistant filing cabinet



G. F. PEITER Jan. 20, 1942.

MULTIDRAWER FIRE RESISTANT FILING CABINET Filed July 11, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 2 ig i5 f//r/z/z ////r r//fr/f/ Patented Jan. 20, 11942UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIDRAWER FIRE RESISTANT FILING CABINETcorporation of Ohio 3 Claims.

This invention relates to drawer mounting in a pocket and insulated froma casing.

This invention has utility when incorporated in metal drawer cabinets.Advantages accrue in ready al'gnment of the elements. These advantagesin alignment contribute to speed in assembly. The intertting in theassembly is an effective control for stiffening or rigidity. Thelocation of the insulation is efficient in retarding heat flow.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front View of an embodiment of the invention in a fourdrawer vertical insulated filing cabinet;

Fig. 2 is a section on an enlarged scale on the line II-II, Fig. 1,showing the drawer in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line III-III, Fig. 1, showing features of thelock for the primary or control drawer;

Fig. 4 is a View from the line Ill-IV, Fig. 2, but through the drawer inthe pocket showing the lock relationship for the primary or controldrawer;

Fig. 5 is a section through the cabinet showing various features of thepocket and drawer assembly therein;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on the line VI-VI, Fig. 1, showing thepocket assembly at the seat or throat for the drawer opening; and

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary distributed view of the assembly between thepocket and seat in the casing.

Casing I (Fig. '7) of sheet metal in an oblong or rectangular tube formhas rear opening 2 bounded by short inwardly extending flange 3 withadjacent seat 4 to the major tubular portion I. Remote from the opening2 this tube has opening 5 surrounded by inwardly extending flange 6parallel to the side I. This ange 6 is a stiffenng terminus foroffset 1. toward which extends taper throat portion 8 from the frontledge 9. This general tubular form as to the bounding means hassupplemental portions III parallel to the sides dividing the front ofthe casing into a plurality of these front throat openings 5. Thisportion I has therefrom oppositely tapering portions II similar to thetaper portion 8 with offsets I2 similar to the offsets 1, and stiffeningfree end flange portions I3 similar to the flange portion 6. Theseparallel portions Ill of sheet metal may have weld assembly I4 with thesimilar portions 8, 'I, 6, say even Application July 11, 1939, SerialNo. 283,881

(Cl. 10S-84) to spot weld, but suicient for rigidity in assemblycoplanar with the portion 9 in giving a finished front plane therefor.

These offsets l, I2, may have openings I5. Complementary to theserespective throat openings 5 there may be inserted pockets I6 throughthe rear opening 2 for telescopic register. These tubular pockets I6 mayhave outward terminus ledges I'I about pocket front opening I 8. Fromthis offset I'I there is, parallel to the pocket side I6, return flangeI9 which may slide along the flange 6 to have the ange 6 abut offset 20stiffened by flange extension 2l parallel to the flange portion I9. Thisregister with the portions 6 continues with the portion I3 in completingthe bounding of the throat by this pocket having the opening I8 at thethroat. This pocket or rectangular tubular portion I6 has rear closure22 in weld assembly therewith. Furthermore, for this series of pocketsI6, say four in number herein, there may be rear strap 23 having weldassembly with the separate closure portions 22, and thereby providingspacing stiiening means for these several pockets thrust as a unit intotelescopic assembly with the throats.

The casing I (Fig. 2), in the event there be light gage sheet metal orrelative depth for the pockets requiring spacing between the front andrear, may desirably have stiffening. Accordingly, to such end Z-shapedportions 24 may have weld anchorage 25 with the vertical sides of thecasing I, and clear of the pockets I 6. There may be supplemental weldassembly with the throats or with this front. Plastic or cementitiousller 26 may be poured downwardly in through the open back 2 with thethroat or open front 5 horizontal or therebelow. In this pouring of thecementitious insulation body such may be asbestos, finely divided mica,or other insulation as a poured cement. This effects a sealing of theopenings I5 susceptible for painting or enameling thereover.Furthermore, it stiffens and positions the pockets relatively to thecasing, and is to such extent a reinforcement as well as an insulation.With this pour of the cement 26 complete, it is in order to place inposition back closure 2'I with flange 28 registering in the seat 4 withweld assembly 29 to complete the unit structure of this multi-pocketcabinet.

Completion of the pockets may be effected by welding anchoring channels30 (Fig. 4) on opposite sides for anti-friction drawer extensions 3l ofthe respective drawer bodies having sides 32. Control drawer 33, hereinshown as the top drawer, has locking means control over the other orsecondary drawers, herein shown as therebelow. The respective drawershave grips or pull handles 34 with anchorage 35 through drawer frontwall 36 to engage reinforcement 31 inwardly extending and embedded incementitious insulation filler 38. These embedded reinforcements 31 fromthe front wall 36 are short of through rear wall 39v of this double wallinsulation front for the respective drawers.

On opposite sides of each of the drawers in ways 40 ext-end rods 4|having stops 42 to register with openings 43 on the opposite sides ofeach of the drawers and at their walls 32. These rods 4| are normallythrust clear of the stops 42 by springs 44. Accordingly, when controlupper drawer is outward, the drawers therebelow are released, but as thecontrol upper drawer is inserted, it is eiTective through pair of cams45 acting on pins 46 from the respective rods 4l to urge each of saidrods 4I to be shiitedrlongitudinally in the ways 40 and againstresistance of the springs 44 to bring such rods into locking positionupon opposite sides of each of the drawers therebelow. Accordingly, asthis top or control drawer is in full position in the pocket of thecasing, each of the drawers therebelow is automatically locked. It is inorder, to complete the locking of the entire set-up, that key 41 (Fig.3) be inserted in lock 48 and thereby throw arm 49 into opening 50.Simultaneously this lock 48 acts upon rods 5I (Fig. 2) and thrusts suchthrough openings 52. There is thus three point locking of this controldrawer in the casing as the key 41 is removed.

In the disclosure herein there is provided a multidrawer insulationcabinet of the vertical drawer type, in which the drawers haveinsulation fronts ailordng re resistant safe-approaching qualities forthe entire insulation,

especially as against re hazard. Furthermore, th'e intertting betweenthe drawer front and the bounding throats for the pockets is of drawerfront insulation ribs 53 (Fig. 3) as projecting to enter grooves 54 withrib 55, as surrounding the groove 54, entering groove 56 of the drawerfront inward from the rib 53. This is an interlocking or interttingassembly eiective in insulation notwithstanding the metal waytherethrough, due to the fact that the cementitious filler 26 has normalmoisture content therewith which at a temperature rise may be separatedtherefrom as a vapor or steam, to blow paint llers 51 from the openingsI5, thus relieving pressure in the filler chamber in this double wallcasing. There is thus defeated the tendency to bulge, and furtherv thismoisture vapor as exuding about the metal throat has a tendency tocounteract heat conduction travel toward the drawer and its contents.There is thus an additional safeguard against ire hazard or damagethereto.

The structure in the metallic pockets for the casing is a light sheetmetal construction, but

the supplemental pouring with the insulation lller'renderssuchsubstantial throughout. 'Ihis positive assembly anchoring between,the throat and the pocket insures an alignment positioning i for thepocket and thereby a substantial and accurate location for the drawer inpermanence as to the casing. The dual locking for the secondary drawersand triple locking for the primary or control drawer is a furtherfeature for resistance to distortion strain. The anchorage into thefiller from the grip promotes retention of tire structure in theoriginal form even against a material degree of abuse.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by United States LettersPatent is:

1. A casing having an open back and opposite thereto a drawer openingsurrounded by an inwardly extending throat, a pocket insertable `throughthe open back and having an exterior return bend flange to register withsaid throat in forming a multi-step seat, said pocket interior providingguide means for a drawer body, an insulation plastic filler unitenveloping the pocket and spacing the pocket back from the casing, and aclosure for the back against the unit in completing the casing.

' 2. A casing'having anopen back and opposite thereto a drawer openingsurrounded by an inwardly Vextendingthroat tapered to an oilset and aflange, a pocket insertable through the open back and having an exteriorreturn bend flange and intermediate its depth having an outward oisetabutting the throat flange to register with said throat in forming amulti-step seat of groove and rib form, said pocket interior providingguide means for a drawer body, an insulation plastic filler unitenveloping the pocket and spacing the pocket back from the casing, and aclosure for the back against the unit in completing the casing,

3. A casing having an open back and opposite thereto a plurality ofdrawer openings each surrounded by a seat-forming stiiened flange toprovide a throat, pockets for the respective drawer openings, eachpocket including a sheet metal pocket back with an endless series ofsides therefromterminating in complemental seat-providing anges toregister with anges of said casing at said throat.

GEO. F. PEITER.

